GRAMMAR PRACTICE

1A Present simple and continuous; action

and state verbs 1 Choose the correct options to complete the sentences.
1 They don’t want / aren’t wanting to go swimming
1.2
today because it’s too cold.
I check my emails every morning. I’m replying to your message right now. 2 I prefer / ’m preferring this coffee – it tastes / ’s tasting
I need to access the internet. Are you enjoying your holiday? much better than that coffee.
My sister has a new job. My parents are having breakfast. 3 I can’t talk to you right now. We have / ’re having
lunch.
Present simple 4 Why do you wait / are you waiting for the bus? There
aren’t any buses after midnight!
We use the present simple to talk about things that are always true.
5 I don’t understand / ’m not understanding this film
They speak Portuguese in Brazil. The sun sets in the west. because they’re speaking too fast.
We also use the present simple to talk about regular routines. 6 We think / ’re thinking all museums should be free.
I start work at 8.45. My brother gets up at 6.30 every day. 7 He works / ’s working in the library this morning.
8 That suitcase belongs / is belonging to me.
We often use the present simple with frequency adverbs and expressions.
We never go shopping on Saturdays. They often go to the beach at the weekend. 2 Complete the sentences with the present simple or
present continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
Present continuous 1 I (talk) to my boss at the moment. Can I
We use the present continuous to talk about actions that are happening now. call you back in five minutes?
He’s speaking to his sister on Skype right now. I’m waiting for you at the bus stop. 2 They (send) me a birthday card every year.
3 I (leave) the office now. I’ll call you later.
We also use the present continuous to talk about actions that are temporary.
4 You look really tired. I (think) you
She’s living with her parents at the moment. I’m studying Economics this year. (need) to go to bed now.
5 I’m so hungry! I (think) about dinner.
Action and state verbs 6 I can’t talk now. I (study) in the library.
We can use the present simple and present continuous with verbs which describe an 7 I (stay) at my best friend’s house at
action. the moment.
I play football on Wednesday evenings. 8 My internet connection (not work) today.
I’m playing a football game on my computer at the moment. 3 Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs in
We usually use the present simple, not the present continuous, with verbs which brackets.
describe a state.
She doesn’t like her new haircut. NOT She isn’t liking her new haircut.
I don’t understand. What do you mean? NOT I’m not understanding. What are you
meaning?
I own a car. NOT I’m owning a car.

state verbs
feelings like, love, hate, want, prefer, need
Enjoy is used in the continuous tense: I’m enjoying the party.
thoughts and know, believe, remember, forget, understand, think, feel,
opinions consider, realize, expect, agree, suppose, doubt, mean I1 (not understand) why some people
2 (believe) that we 3 (talk) to
states be, have (possess), exist, seem, appear, belong, own, matter
each other much less than in the past. I 4
senses taste, sound, look, feel, hear, smell
(own) a smartphone and I 5 (use) it all
the time. I 6 (send) messages to my
Look! Some verbs can be both action and state verbs, with different meanings.
friends several times a day and I often 7
I’m thinking about my holidays. (the action of thinking = action verb)
(call) them for a chat. It’s true that we 8
I think this website is the best. (an opinion = state verb)
(have) very busy lives nowadays and that we
He’s having fish and chips. (the action of eating = action verb) 9 always (not speak) face to
He has a white sports car. (a possession = state verb)
face. It 10 (seem) to me that electronic
I’m feeling happy. (the action of having an emotion = action verb)
devices 11 (make) our lives much easier.
It feels soft. (the sense = state verb)
For example, I 12 (write) this blog now
while I 13 (sit) on the train.

112 Go back to page 5

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 GRAMMAR PRACTICE

1A Present simple and continuous; 3 x PRACTICE SB page 112, exercise 3

action and state verbs 1 Do the exercise as normal. To check answers, read out
each completed sentence in turn, some with correct
1 1.2 Read through the information about the present
answers and some with incorrect answers. Ask students
simple and continuous and action and state verbs with
to raise their hands when they hear an incorrect
the class, or allow sts time to read it on their own. Play
answer. When students raise their hands, ask them to
audio track 1.2 for sts to listen and repeat. See the SB
explain why they think the answer is incorrect.
page opposite for audio script. Sts read the sentences and
complete them with the correct options. Check answers. 2 Allow sts time to read through the text again, then ask
them to close their books. Write the verbs from the text
Answers on the board in the infinitive form, e.g. not understand,
1 don’t want believe, talk. Sts work in pairs and try to write the text
2 prefer, tastes from memory. They can check in their books when they
3 ‘re having have written the whole text.
4 are you waiting 3 Put sts into pairs. Ask them to write three questions to
5 don’t understand ask the author of the text, the answers to which can
6 think be found in the text, e.g. Do you own a smartphone?
7 ‘s working How often do you send messages to your friends? Ask
8 belongs them to write questions using the present simple and
present continuous. Books closed. Put pairs together
into groups of four to ask and answer the questions.
2 Sts complete the sentences with the correct verb forms.
See how many they manage to answer correctly from
Check answers.
memory.
Answers
1 ‘m talking Refer sts back to page 5 if they want to revise present simple
2 send and continuous and action and state verbs further, or see
3 ‘m leaving more examples of them in context.
4 think, need
5 ‘m thinking
6 ‘m studying
7 ‘m staying
8 isn‘t working

3 Sts read the text and complete it with the correct verb
forms. Check answers.

Answers
1 don’t understand
2 believe
3 talk
4 own
5 use
6 send
7 call
8 have
9 don’t, speak
10 seems
11 make
12 ‘m writing
13 ‘m sitting

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